Machine for and method of making raised bottom baskets



Jan. 27, 1942. I s. H. HUNT 2,271,395

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING RAISED BOTTOM BASKETS Filed Aug. 2,1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

I iii INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

S. H. HUNT Jan. 27, 1942.

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING RAISED BOT TOM BASKETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Aug. 2, 1940 FIG. 3.

I INVENTOR. glvasfl'er' H. HuTLT BY I ATTORNEYS 1942. s. H. HUNT2,271,395

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING RAISED BOTTOM BASKETS Filed Aug. 2,1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 6.

i 4 FIG. 1. 2

@ 59 v y; I

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 27, 1942. s. H. HUNT 2,271,395

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING RAISED BOTTOM BASKETS Filed Aug.'2,1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 9.

INVENTORJ EBIVE sTEr' H.HuT1T -ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 27, 1942. s. H. HUNT 7 5 MACHINE FOR AND METHODVOF MAKING RAISEDBOTTOM BASKETS Filed Aug. 2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 12.

INVENTOR.

J; aim W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 27, 1942 MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING RAISEDBOTTOMBASKETS Sylvester H. Hunt, Norfolk,.Va., assignor to FarmersIncorporated, Norfolk, Va.,' acorporation of Virginia ApplicationAugust2, 1940, Serial No. 349,879

12 Claims. (01. 1513.6

- The invention relatesto improvements in ma--; chines for the methodsofmakingbaskets, such as a raised bottom basketincluding-sidestaves, aninside bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop, middle and top hoops; and a:bottom disposed adjacent the inside bottom hoop. 1 w The primary objectof the inventionistoprovide an improved machine for andzmethod ofstapling the bottom in the basket at the time the staves and hoops arestitched together. --This, objectl accomplish by combining a pairofstaplers into a double staplerhead workingin unison, with theotherstaplers that stitch the middle and top hoops of the basket,.andsoarranged thata given one of the pair drives a staple into the bottomhoop at the usual angle, so that-the head of the head ofthestaple'isdiagonally crosswise the hoop, and the other one of the pairdrives :a staple straight into the bottom, so that the head of thestaple is parallel' to the plane of thebasket bottom, simultaneouslywith alternate operations of the .givenstapler and in staggered relationwith pairsof staples driven thereby. Thebasket formed by the,im-

proved machine and method afi'ords a neat and uniform structure at' aconsiderable saving in q 1'1 Another object oftheinvention is to providea machine of the character described'havinga doublestaplerhead-fincludinga long stapler and a short stapler, the differencein length of the.

staplers corresponding to the thickness of the outside bottom hoop sothatthe long and short;

staplers may drive staplesflush with the. staves and outside bottom hooprespectively.

- The invention is particularly useful in theeconomical manufacture ofsturdy baskets hav ing good appearance and devoid of the so-calledshiners (legs of staples initially driven radially into the basketbottom, but which have burst out at the upper or lower surfaces of thebasket bottom and likely to injureor snag fruit or other produce shippedin the basket, or injure persons handling the basket). The inventionmakes possible the use of thin, narrow. outsidebottom hoops ofcomparatively inexpensive material such ,as gum, without likelihood ofthe hoop; material splitting, in contradistinction to the heavier I andwider hoops used in the barrel in dustry, frequently made of elm. Theinvention 50 contemplates driving, by use of the long stapler, a line ofspaced staples fastening the staves only to. the basket bottom, withoutthe legs of the staples'passing thru the outside bottom hoop.

will be apparent during the course of the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying,drawings-formingapart of this specification, .and inwhich drawings,

; Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly inverticalsection of a basket stapling machine provided with the doublestapler head. i

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing-the relation of the staplerheads to lines of staples driven thereby.

Figure 2A is. a fragmentary sectional detail view of a basket andshowinga staple. driven obliquely into the outside bottom hoop, stave andinsidebottom hoop and a staple-driven straight into the basketbottomtransversely-of the stave. Figure 3 is afragmentary bottom plan viewshowing the staplers and wire feed means therefor I a I I ,Fi'gurel isa: fragmentary view in elevation showing-in an advanced position ratchetmeans intermittently actuating the wire. feed means.

Figure -5. is-a fragmentary viewqpartly .in elevation, and partly invertical section and showing the ratchet means in a retracted position.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the double stapler head. I r Figurefl is.a view in front. elevation of the double stapler head.

. Figure 8 is avertical sectional view offthe double stapler head,-taken substantially on theshowing the parts in the down-stroke position.

Fig-ure 13is,a bottom plan viewof the assembly shown in Figure 11.

. In. the drawings, whichfor the purpose of illustration show onlyapreferred embodiment ofv the invention, and wherein similar referencecharacters denote corresponding parts thruout the severalviews, theletter A generally designates the improvedmachine and B the raisedbottom basket.

Thebasket B includes a plurality ofstaves l5,

inside and outside bottom hoops" I6, 11 secured to the staves by staplesl8, a middle hoop l9 se- Otherobjects and advantages ofthe inventioncuredfto the staves by staples .20, inside and outside top hoops 2|, 22secured to the staves by staples 23, and a bottom 24 secured to thestaves by staples 25.

My improved machine A is of the general character shown and described inU. S. Patent 1,643,287 and 1,682,769, except that instead of employingthree single staplers, I utilize two single staplers of conventionalconstruction which stitch or staple the middle and top hoops in theusual way and a special double stapler 3| so constructed and arranged asto stitch or staple the bottom hoops to the staves and also to staplethe basket bottom to the staves only, adjacent the bottom hoops.

The machine A includes the usual pedestal carrying a crank shaft 36 towhich is pivoted a pitman 31 connected to a vertically reciprocableshaft 38 carrying a horizontal beam 43, to which the upper ends of thestaplers 30, 3| are attached. Fixedly carried beneath the beam 43 is astationary bar 44 supporting the staplers 30, 3| in the usual manner;Rotatably mounted on the pedestal is a rotary basket form 45 of anysuitable type, such as shown and described in my U. S. patentapplication, Serial Number 314,702, or. in U. S. Patent 2,098,049. Inthe example shown, the form 45 includes rings 46--48 and is providedwith intermittent drive mechanism 49 of the usual pawl and ratchet typeactuated thru a link 50 connected to the beam 43. Removably disposedadjacent the form 45 is a flanged rotary disc 5| adapted to rotatablysupport the basket bottom I and the inside bottom hoop in position forstapling. The staves and outer hoops of the basket may be fedintostapling position on the form 45 by the mechanism shown and described inmy U. S. patent application, Serial Number 314,702.

Referring to the special double stapler 3|, the same comprises aframe orcasing including a rear section 56 for attachment to the stationary bar44 and a pair of angularly disposed sections 51, 58 removably secured,as by cap screws 59,.to therear sectionSS. Reciprocably slidableinteriorly of the frame or casing 55 are staple former and driverassemblies 69, 69a, cooperable with the usual loop bars 5| to form anddrive staples upon descent of the, assemblies 6|], 60a relative to theframe or casing 55. From an inspection of Figure 8 of the drawings itwill be seen that the loop bars 5| are pivoted on pins 62 carried by thecasing sections 51, 58 for swinging into and out of their loop formingrelation to the former blades 63 of the assemblies 6|], 60a. The drivermembers 64 of these assemblies are pivotally supported at their upperends by pins 65 to which are fixed depending rods 69 having their lowerends, disposed in sockets 31 in the former blades 63. Encircling therods 66 are expansion coil springs 68 urging the former blades 63downwardly into engagement gwith abutment portions 69 of the, drivermembers 54. Pivoted as at N14, to each driver member 64 is the usuallatch 10, urged into latching engagement with the upper end of itsassociated former blade 63 by the usual leaf spring shown at H inFigures 10, 11 and 12 and cammed out of latching engagement duringdescent of the former and driver assemblies by the usual cam 12 fixed tothe stationary casing or frame, as shown in Figures 6, 7, 11 and 12.

At their upper ends, the former and driver assemblies 60, 60a areconnected by the pins 65 to spaced angularly disposed depending legs 13of a yoke 14 having upwardly projecting lugs 15 for pivotal connection,as by a pin 16, to a link 11 attached, as shown in Figure l, to theupper beam 43, as by a suitable bracket 18.

Attention is invited to Figures 2 and 3, where- 5 in it will be notedthat the staple former and driver assembly 69 for stapling the bottomhoops of the basket is obliquely arranged so that the heads of thestaples l8 when driven will be diagonally crosswise the hoop l5 and iscentered on a line 8|] intersecting the single staplers 30 that staplethe middle and top hoops of the basket. The auxiliary staple former anddriver assembly 60a of the double stapler 3| for stapling the basketbottom is not only disposed inwardly of the assembly 60 but alsoforwardly of the stapling line so as to drive staples 25 in staggeredrelation to the staples I8, and with the legs of the staples 25extending thru the staves only, and not thru the bottom hoop Hi. Inproducing the basket B shown in Figure 1, the basket form is of courseadvanced one step for each stapling operation "and the former and driverassembly 60a is disposed a half step in advance of the stapling line 89.The single and double staplers 30, 3| of course operate simultaneouslybut the former and driver assembly 60a receives staple wire only onalternate operations so as to skip every other staple. It will thereforebe understood that in one stapling operation one each of the staples I8,2|] and 23 will be simultaneously inserted along the line 80 adjacentthe forward side margin of a stave, and in a succeedingoperation, oneeach of the staples I8, 20 and 23 will be inserted adjacent the trailingside margin of the stave, and in addition a staple 25 will besimultaneously driven intothe basket bottom intermediate the sidemargins of the stave. v

From an inspection of Figures 10 and 12, it will be seen that the formerand driver assembly 60a extends below the assembly 60, the difference inlength of the assemblies 69, 60a being substantially'equal to thethickness of the outside bottom hoop so that the staples -|8 and 25 willbe driven 'fiushwith the outside bottom hoop as indicated by the line BBin Figure 12.

Any type of mechanism may be employed for feeding the stapling wiresuccessively to the single staplers and to the assembly 60 of the doublestapler while supplying the stapling wire to the assembly 69a foralternate stapling operations. In the example shown in Figures 1, 3, 4and 5, the wire feed means is actuated by the usual ratchet operatingrod 86 and eccentric cam 81 on the shaft 36. Rotatably mounted as bybearing brackets 88 on the beam 44 is a sleeve 89 encircling a shaft 90rotatable therewithin, and of a length to project from the ends of thesleeve. Fixed on the sleeve 89 are feed rollers 9| adapted to advancethe wires92 thru guides 93 to the single staplers ,39 and to thestapling assembly 60 of the double stapler. Fastened on the shaft 90 isa feed roller 94 adapted to advance a wire 95 thru a guide 96 to, thestapling assembly 60a. Fastened on the sleeve 89 and shaft 99 areratchets 91 and 98, respectively, cooperable with a pawl 99 bridgingboth ratchets and m actuated by the rod 86 thru a lever I00 pivoted 6intermediate its ends on the sleeve 89. .All the teeth |0| of theratchet 98 lie along a circle concentric with the shaft 90, whereasalternate teeth I02 of the ratchet 91 lie outwardly of said circle withthe intermediate teeth I03 alignable 75 with the teeth Thus it will beunderstood indicated by the line A--A and with the stave,

that the ratchet alwill be advanced one tooth for each stroke of theratchet operating rod 86 whereby to impart' motion to each of the feedrollers 9|, whereas the ratchet 98 will 'be' advan'ced one tooth foreachtwo strokes of rod 86, due to elevation of the pawl 99 out ofengagement with the ratchet 98 upon engagement or the pawl with thealternate teeth 12 of the ratchet 91, whereby to operate the feed roller94 simultaneously with alternate operations of the feed rollers 9|. Itwill therefore be noted that I have provided an improved double stapleror the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a machine for making a' raised bottom basket of the typeincluding side staves, an inside bottom hoop, an outside bottom: hoopand'a bottom disposed inwardly adjacenttheiinside bottom hoop, mechanismfor supporting the basket materials in position for stapling; a. mainstapler successively operableto drivexarline of spaced staples fasteningthe hoops and staves, and an auxiliary stapler, operable simultaneouslywith alternate operations of the main stapler,

to drive an adjacent line of spaced staples fastening the staves only,to the bottom.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said auxiliary stapler beinglonger than the main stapler, the difference in length beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the outside bottom hoop.

3. In a machine for making a raised bottom basket of the type includingside staves, an inside bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop and a bottomdisposed inwardly adjacent the inside bottom hpop, mechanism forsupporting the staplesfastening 'said hoops and staves, an auxbasketmaterials in position for stapling, a main stapler for driving a line ofspaced staples fastening the hoops and staves, an auxiliary stapler fordriving a line of spaced staples fastening the staves only, to thebottom, means simultaneously actuating the main and auxiliary staplers,feed means successively supplying staple wire to said main stapler forsuccessive operations thereof and feed means alternately supplyingstaple wire to said auxiliary stapler for alternate operations thereof.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3, said auxiliary stapler beinglonger than the main stapler, the difference in length beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the outside bottom hoop.

5. In a machine for making a raised bottom basket of the type includingside staves, and inside bottom hoop, and outside bottom hoop and abottom disposed inwardly adjacent the inside bottom hoop, mechanism forsupporting the basket material in position for stapling, a main stapler,including a staple former and driver disposed to drive staples obliquelyof the hoops, successively operable to drive a line of spaced staplespassing said hoops and staves, and an auxiliary stapler, including astaple former and driver disposed to drive staples parallel to the planeof said bottom, operable simultaneously with alternate operations ofsaid main stapler, to drive an adjacentline of spaced staples fasteningthe staves only, to the bottom,

6.111 a machine for making a raised bottom basket of: the typeincludingside staves, and inside bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop anda bottom disposed inwardly"adjacent the inside bottom hoop, mechanismfor supporting the basket materials in positionfor stapling, a mainstapler successively operable to drive a line of spaced staplesfastening the hoops and staves, and an auxiliary stapler offsetdiagonally with respect to said main stapler and laterally With respectto' the zone of operation of said main stapler, saidauxiliary stapleroperable simultaneously with alternate operations of said main staplertodrive a line of spaced staples in staggeredrelation to the staples ofsaid firstmentioned line of staples, for fastening the staves only, to'the bottom.

7; In a machine for making a raised bottom basket of the type includingside staves, an inside bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop and a bottomdisposed inwardly adjacent the inside bottom hoop, mechanism forsupporting the basket materials in position for stapling, a main staplerincluding a staple former and driver disposed to drivev staplesobliquely of the hoops, successively operable to drive a line of spacediliary stapler including a staple former and driver disposed to drivestaples parallel to the plane of said bottom/to drive an adjacentline ofspaced staples fastening. the staves only, to the bottom, meanssimultaneously actuating the main and auxiliary staplers, feed meanssuccessively supplying staple wire to said main stapler for successiveoperations thereof, and feed means alternately supplying staple wire tosaid auxiliary stapler for alternate operations thereof.

8. In a machine for making a raised bottom basket of the type includingside staves, an inside bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop, and a bottomdisposed inwardly adjacent the inside bottom hoop, mechanism forsupporting the basket materials in position for stapling, a main staplerfor driving a line of spaced staples fastening the hoops and staves, anauxiliary stapler offset diagonally with respect to said main staplerand laterally with respect to the zone of operation of said mainstapler, for driving a line of spaced staples in staggered relation tostaples of said first mentioned line of staples, for fastening thestaves only, to the bottom, means simultaneously actuating the main andauxiliary staplers, feed means successively supplying staple wire tosaid main stapler for successive operations thereof, and feed meansalternately supplying staple wire to said auxiliarly staple foralternate operations thereof.

9. In a machine for making a raised bottom basket of the type includingside staves, an in side bottom hoop, an outside bottom hoop, a pluralityof additional hoops spaced above said outside bottom hoop, and a bottomdisposed adjacent the inner bottom hoop, mechanism for supporting thebasket material in position for stapling, a main stapler, including astaple former and driver disposed to drive staples obliquely of thehoops, successively operable to drive a line of spaced staples adjacentthe longitudinal margins of the staves for fastening operablesimultaneously with the main stapler to drive lines of spaced staplesadjacent the longitudinal margins of the staves for fastening theadditional hoops to the staves, and an auxiliary stapler, including astaple former and driver disposed to drive staples parallel to the planeof said bottom, operable simultaneously with alternate operations of themain stapler, to drive a line of spaced staples at points substantiallymidway between the longitudinal margins of the staves for fastening thestaves only, to the bottom.

10. The method of making a raised bottom basket of the type includingstaves, an inside bottom hoop contacting the inner faces of the stavesadjacent their ends, an outside bottom hoop contacting the outer facesof said staves adjacent their ends and lying in substantially the sameplane as the inside bottom hoop, and a basket bottom contacting theinner hoop, which includes supporting the basket materials in positionfor stapling, successively driving a line of staples with the legsthereof extending thru the outside hoop, the staves adjacent thelongitudinal margins thereof and at least into the inner hoop, and withthe same driving force used in driving alternate staples of said line ofstaples, driving a line of staples with their legs extending thru thestaves at points intermediate the longitudinal margins of the staves andoffset from said outside hoop, and into the basthe bottom hoops andstaves, additional staplers bottom hoop contacting the inner faces ofthe staves adjacent their ends, an outside bottom hoop contacting theouter faces of said staves adjacent their ends and lying insubstantially the same plane asthe inside bottom hoop, and a basketbottom contacting the inner hoop, which includes supporting the basketmaterials in position for stapling, successively driving a line ofstaples with the legs thereof extending thru the outside hoops, thestaves, and at least into the inner hoop, and with the same drivingforce used in driving alternate staples of said line of staples, drivinga line of staples withbasket bottom contacting the inner hoop, which 1includes supporting the basket materials in position for stapling,successively driving a line of staples Withthe legs thereof extendingthru the outside hoop, the staves, and at least into the inner hoop, andwith the same driving force used in driving said line of staples,driving a line of staples with their legs extending thru the staves atpoints offset from said outside hoop and into the basket bottom.

SYLVESTER H. HUNT.

